Improvement in envelope-openers



J. SALTE-R. ENVELOPE-OPENERS.

No. 194,723, Patente d Aug. 28,1877.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JAMES SALTER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN ENVELOPE-OPENERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 194,728, dated August28, 1877; application filed June 20, 1677.

10 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES SALTER, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements inEnvelope-Opener and Paper- Qutter, of which the followingis thespecification:

This invention has for its object the con.- struction of a knife foropening envelopes, cutting paper, paring finger-nails, and other likeuses.

The knife is constructed so it may be folded up into a form'resemblingsomewhat a silver halt dollar, so that it may be carried easily in anypocket-book or other convenient place.

The invention will be readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in

which- Figure I is a side elevation of the improved knife in itsinclosed position. Fig. II is a side elevation of the same, showing theblade open. Fig. III is a transverse sectional elevation with the bladeclosed.

The knife-blade A and its handle B, when closed up, as shown in Fig. I,form a circular disk, resembling in size and form a silver halfdollarpiece. f

Of course, it may be made larger or smaller than a half-dollar, but thisprobably is the most preferable size.

The handle B is formed of two pieces, b and b as shown in Fig. III, eachof which is formed in a segmental outline, with a straight line, b,cutting off just as much of an area from a full circle as the blade A,when closed, will complete.

' A small piece of soft metal, 0, will be placed between the two partsI) and b, at the straight side b, so as to permit the blade to shut downupon it without injuring the edge of the blade. The heel of the blade Awill be inserted between the edges of the plates b and b and held inthat position by thepin a, on which the blade will swing open and shut,in the usual manner.

With the exception of the separation of the plates b and b for the heelof the blade and for the piece 0, the said plates forming the handle ofthe knife will be placed tightly together flatwise, and securely rivetedtogether.

At point d of the handle B b b is formed the groove or slot 0.

When the knife or blade Ais shut down, or nearly so, upon the handle B bb an envelope is readily and conveniently opened by simply passing thecorner ofthe same on that side which is to be opened into the slot orgroove 0 and, by pushing the instrument along the edge, the knife willbe embedded between the two sides of the envelope, and thus cut open theedge.

When the instrument is to be used as a paper-cutter, &c., the knife isopened as shown in Fig. II.

I am well aware that a patent has been granted to T. R. Timby, datedJanuary 21, 1868, and numbered 73,674, and disclaim hereby anyinterference with the improvements therein specified and claimed.

Having thus described my invention, I desire to claim- In anenvelope-opener, the combination of the movable or hinged blade A withthe handle B, formed of the pieces b b and soft metal 0, and straightside b, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

This specification signed this 13th day of June, 1877.

JAMES SALTER. Witnesses:

B10111). GERNER, F. BABRITT.

